I sympathize, but the prices paid for left-wing convictions are all the more reasons for being careful about the use of such terms as Stalinism (for instance by making a distinction between formerly existing Stalinism & phantom Stalinisms that haunt political discourse). BTW, the possibility of threat to jobs is ever present in academia. Let me share with the list a posting by the vice chair of my department at the OSU during the recent strike:
At 11:13 AM -0400 5/8/00, Valerie Lee wrote:
>Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 11:13:56 -0400
>Reply-To: lee.89 at osu.edu
>Sender: owner-engrad at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>From: Valerie Lee <lee.89 at osu.edu>
>To: engrad at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>Cc: engfac at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>Subject: Class Cancellations
>X-Sender: vlee at pop.service.ohio-state.edu
>X-Priority: 1 (Highest)
>
>To All GTAs:
>
>Important Reminder:
>
>It has come to my attention that some of you have told your classes
>that you will not be meeting until the strike is over. Some students
>in "cancelled" classes have requested that their money for the
>quarter be refunded. I would like to remind you of what your
>responsibility is:
>
>As a GTA, you have signed a contract saying that you will fulfill a
>specific responsibility. It is a breach of the contract to tell
>your students that you will not be meeting with them. Additionally,
>you should not move your class to another location, unless every
>student in that class agrees to such a move. If even one student
>objects, you should not move the course.
>
>Some of you have found useful ways to incorporate the issues of the
>strike into your class discussions. Fine. Others have taken
>actions that may jeopardize their reappointments. Let's work
>together on these issues.
>
>
>-------------------------------------------
> Valerie Lee
>Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of English
>Professor, Department of Women's Studies
> The Ohio State University
> 164 West 17th Avenue
> Columbus, Ohio 43210-1370
> (614)292-6735
>-------------------------------------------
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